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"All publicly-owned media, including public service broadcasters, should be under the following obligations during an election period: To grant all parties and candidates equitable access to the media to communicate their messages directly with the public, either for free or at subsidised rates. Equitable access means fair and non-discriminatory access allocated according to objective criteria for measuring overall levels of support, and includes factors such as timing of access and any fees.
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International Mechanisms for Promoting Freedom of Expression: Joint Statement on the Media and Elections, p. 2, para. 20.3Summaries
- Political parties and candidates must have access to the public media on a non-discriminatory basis.
- Equality refers not only to the amount of space provided but to the timing and location of such space.
- Private media may be subject to some restrictions, such as equal access for all candidates and fair coverage.